


Atoned

by digthewriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Consensual, EWE, F/M, Good Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Lucius Malfoy - Freeform, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, Minor Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Post War, Social Worker, social worker!ginny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 03:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15209897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter
Summary: Ginny quit Quidditch to become a social worker. One of her clients is a redeemed!Lucius Malfoy. Supposedly redeemed. Definitely a pain to deal with.





	Atoned

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed. Um, so like, I don't write HET. But this recipient only had HET pairings and my plan is to try to write one fic for every recipient so like... yeah. This happened. I struggled w/ this story b/c of the content but I suppose - write outside your comfort zone is a thing. LOL. I hope you like it. Thanks.

When it came down to it, no one in the wizarding world would have thought Lucius Malfoy, of all people, would be redeemed. It'd been years after the war and many people had done their time in Azkaban, or community service, or paid the price of being on the wrong side — with their life. 

Then there was Malfoy. The older one. 

The younger one, had surprisingly, or maybe not, stolen the heart of Ginny's ex-boyfriend. And now, here she was sitting across the table with the older Malfoy, reviewing his application. They had these meetings once in a while, and for too many times for Ginny's liking. 

"Hadn't realised you resigned from Quidditch to do social work full time, Ms Weasley," Lucius said; and even though he was trying to be nice, there was just something _seductive_ in his voice. "I had originally thought these visits of ours were temporary. Is this a permanent arrangement? I'll have to admit I don't disagree with it. This is quite the interesting twist of events." 

He was older than Ginny. By very many years. He had been an awful man who had done awful things — some of them directly impacting her. She didn't need to reply to his comments or questions. 

She did anyway. 

"Why? Do you have something interesting for me? Perhaps a diary? Again?" She raised an eyebrow when he looked flustered. 

"That was a long time ago. And I'm not sure how to make anyone believe—" 

"What? You've changed? And given the opportunity, you wouldn't jump at it? You wouldn't do questionable things to secure your freedom." 

"Perhaps people don't change but circumstances do. I have been following the rules of the Ministry for very many years. I plan to continue to do the same." 

"Until when?" 

Lucius Malfoy uncharacteristically shrugged. "I don't see any reason to stop my path. My life is tolerable. Sure, my wife left me ages ago, my son barely speaks to me but—I am free. I do have hobbies. I do find the time to do interesting things, read, and enjoy a life which isn't prison." 

Maybe he was right. Maybe it wasn't ideal but at least he wasn't in Azkaban. 

"Very well. It seems all your actions and social interactions are reliable and unambiguous enough. I'm sure the Ministry will be pleased—" 

"And you?" he asked. 

"What about me?" she replied, twisting her fingers under the table so he couldn't see her. He made her nervous.

"Do you always do unquestionable things, Ms Weasley?" 

Ginny's heart beat faster and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. This older man, in his very subtle yet sure ways, did things to Ginny she didn't want to admit. Didn't want to think about. Not until she was alone at home, in the dark, in the middle of the night. She thought about the things he made her feel when she couldn't sleep and…and…

If anyone ever found out…

"Thank you for your time. A Ministry official will be contacting you early next week for a home inspection." 

"Yes, those home visits are so very delightful. However, if you were my permanent case worker—"

"I'm not," Ginny said abruptly. 

"Well, all the better reason for you to perform an inspection, as well." He whispered his words and leaned in closer, still keeping a good distance between them but being quite obvious about what he was trying to do. 

And it was working. 

Ginny's stomach twisted. Her shirt felt too tight and she felt a drop of sweat go down her back. Even in the toughest moments on the pitch, Ginny didn't break a sweat. But this was different. This was a man who'd once almost ruined her life, almost got her killed, and now was making her yearn for him. 

Interesting twist of events, indeed. 

"We're done here," she said, standing up and gathering all her files. She had other clients to see; she couldn't be bothered by just the one. 

"Very well," he said cordially, and stood up as well. "Do consider my offer for an inspection, Ms Weasley…" 

"Mr—" 

"I know. I will speak no more of it. But just say you'll think about it." He gave her a soft smile as if he genuinely was innocent, and he wasn't insinuating something else.

She sighed. She knew she could have continued to be angry, she could have finished her sentence of how he was crossing a line, and she could report him. She could have reported him. 

"I will put it under consideration," she said. 

He smiled at her and reached for her hand, and again, she didn't stop him. He brought her left hand to his lips and left a ghost of a kiss. His long hair fell on his face and she wanted to reach over and put it back in place. 

"I thank you for the honour of this…" he said, letting go of her hand. "I'll cherish this moment for a very long time. It is _always_ a pleasure just to see you." 

Without a word, Ginny took a step back and turned around. She bit her lower lip, to try to hide a smile, glad he couldn't see her. She couldn't believe she was considering it. She was considering stopping by his home and letting _him_ —

"Given how you've been working with him for a few sessions now and he responds best to you. Maybe you should just do the home inspection," her supervisor informed her an hour later. "Maybe he's turned virtuous, or maybe he needs to be on a leash for the rest of his days—I'll leave that fate in your hands." 

Now Ginny knew she had no choice. She was going to be spending a lot of time with Lucius Malfoy.


End file.
